They reminisce and I feel an ache in my chest. Wanting her here, wanting her here to share this. I’m not sure that we’re any further forward but I’m glad we’ve met these people, that Lori had their friendship and a sense of belonging in this unfamiliar place.
We get a cab back – I haven’t the energy to walk to the bus. We must get in touch with Peter Dunne, our only liaison with the police, and tell him what we’ve learned. And I still need to call Nick. On the ride, beneath the underpass, I see a figure curled up, sleeping. Homeless, I guess.
I call Peter Dunne from Tom’s room, my phone on loudspeaker so we can both hear what’s said. It takes the consul a while to answer – it’s late, Saturday night: maybe he keeps office hours even with a situation like this, but eventually he’s on the line. He listens while I explain the content of the text from Lori to Shona and ask him if he knew about the project. There’s a very brief pause, then he says, ‘Not as such.’
‘We think it might be important, that perhaps she was taking photographs that Monday.’ An ugly thought curdles my stomach. I say it aloud: ‘Perhaps she was photographing the wrong thing… You said it’s a sensitive time.’
‘Mrs Maddox-’
‘Please, call me Jo.’
‘Jo, if the authorities detained Lorelei for any reason, for any length of time, I would have been informed. It happens – visa irregularities, misbehaviour or more serious incidents. I’m called from my bed often enough and together we agree on an appropriate way forward. I can assure you, we would know.’
He sounds so certain.
‘But if we can find out where she was,’ I say, ‘whom she was seeing, that could be important.’
‘I agree,’ he says.
‘Superintendent Yin,’ Tom says. ‘He never mentioned the project. Apparently he didn’t ask Lori’s friends about it. We think it’s been overlooked.’
‘They may well be carrying out enquiries into it but I’ll pass on your thoughts to make sure,’ Peter Dunne says.
* * *
The boys are in the garden when I get through. I tell Nick all about my day and share my concerns about the investigation. Like me, he’s surprised that we weren’t told about any of the new information as it was established.
‘But we’re in their hands,’ I say. ‘I don’t think complaining will get us anywhere.’ I tell him I’ll Skype the kids another time but will just say a quick hello for now.
Finn says they’re going to the museum and wishes I could come too.
‘I’m sorry, darling, but we’ll do something special when I come back.’
